. You are aware,
that I have actually advanced seven hundred and fifty thousand reals
vellon. Independently of this sum, on the 14th of March, which we are
now approaching, nearly thirtyfive thousand dollars of your bills will
become due. I will not conceal from you, that although this double
advance is neither beyond my means nor my disposition, yet the former
is entirely absorbed by the necessities of the government, so that I
shall be the more desirous, that you would enable me to meet these
engagements, as I shall always find a difficulty in disposing of your
paper. I speak to you frankly, since I shall always endeavor, as I
have heretofore done, to serve you in the same spirit.

"I have the honor to be, &c.

CABARRUS."

By way of answer to this letter, I instructed Mr Carmichael to inform
M. Cabarrus of the exact state I was in, with respect to my
expectations of aid both here and from France, for I did not choose to
commit a matter of this kind in writing to M. Cabarrus's discretion. I
could not give him positive assurances of being speedily repaid,
either by a credit on Dr Franklin, or by money to be obtained here,
but I submitted to his consideration the improbability, that this or
the French Court would permit these bills to be protested, and assured
him, that Dr Franklin was using his best endeavors in our favor, and
had so far succeeded as to encourage me to expect, that he would soon
be able at least to replace the sum, which M. Cabarrus had already
advanced to me.

The next day, viz. the 11th of February, I waited upon the Ambassador
of France. I represented to him in the strongest terms the critical
situation of our credit, and communicated to him the contents, both of
Dr Franklin and M. Cabarrus' letters.

I requested him to speak seriously and pressingly to the Minister on
the subject, and to remind him, that M. Cabarrus' offer was of such a
nature as to remove any objection, that could arise from the low state
of the public funds. The Ambassador was just then setting out for the
Pardo. He promised to speak to the Minister accordingly, and that his
Secretary, the Chevalier de Bourgoing, (who has been very friendly,
and given himself much trouble on this occasion) should inform me of
the result in the evening.

I received in the evening the following letter from the Chevalier de
Bourgoing, viz.

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